11. Infanterie-Division june 15 to june 22 1940

[le.gennois]

[Split from "Supporting the site & forum"]

le.gennois

Hello Marcus Wendel,
Can you open a thread on the 11. Infanterie-Division (Deutsch) June 15 to june 22 1940 ?

Thank you for your contribution to my search for information.
A to read you soon.
Best regards

[le.gennois]

Hello,

I have collected over 1. Infantry Division June 15 to June 22 1940 responses to my post that allow me to make a breakthrough in my research.
To broaden my research, I initiated this new topic.

I list below references that I found on the web for 11. Infantry Division, citing Saumur and Les Rosiers.

16/06/1940 :
Tornata in seno al I. Armee-Korps della 4. Armee (HG B), avanzò combattendo fino ad AMIENS, attraversò la SENNA (Seine) a LES ANDELYS, raggiunse DREUX e combatté sulla LOIRA (Loire) attraversandola presso SAUMUR nel settore di THOUARS, poi venne posta sul Golfo di BISCAGLIA (Biskaya), nel settore BAYONNE-BIARRITZ come truppa d'occupazione.

1940 :
Westfeldzug, Vormarsch aus dem Raum westlich von Köln auf Maastricht als Reserve der HG B, Kampf um Lille und Einnahme der Stadt, Juni im Verband des I. AK., Verfolgungsmärsche über Amiens, die Seine bei Les Andelys, Dreux, Kämpfe an der Loire mit Übergang bei Saumur in den Raum Thouars, Sicherung an der Biskaya im Raum Bayonne-Biarritz

Obertleutnant von Engel, 6. /(R.) A.R.1), in its newspaper of the 19.6.1940,
"Leider vergeblich! Auch die Meldung der 11. Division, das bei Les Rosiers, 10 km stromabwärts, die Brücke über die the Loire unzerstört sei, erweist sich als falsch".

I am very interested in any answers on this 11. Infantry Division, which has made the campaign of the West in 1940 (Battle of France).
The course of the 11. Infantry Division in France, cities with dates (see Axis History Forum. 1. Infanterie Division June 15 to June 22 1940 - Post 25 Feb 2009)

The VAA (Vorausabteilung) of 11. ID that was under the command of Kdr, AR 11, June 18, 1940 in Les Rosiers ?.
Thank you for your contribution to my search for information.

Best regards

le.gennois

[hero.]

Hello le.gennois !

In the divisional history of 11. Inf.Div. by Werner Buxa for the time-frame after 14.6.1940 the following is given :
>> In Dreux an advanced detachement of the 11. ID was build under Oberst v. Wrisberg and the staff of AA 11.
It included an Abt. s.F.H.(mot), 3.(mot)/Pi 11, and other forces. This advanced detachment took Le Mans and Angers
without resistance, but its attack against an enemy bridgehead at the Loire was rejected with heavy losses. Here the
"Chef" of 3./Pi 11 fell, and the bridge thrown across the Loire later received his name.

With weak forces, the enemy tried to set up a defence position on the southern bank against the german advance, but any resistance was broken by the concentrated fire from the northern bank of the river, so that the crossing of the Loire near Saumur took place without any fighting. <<

According to this book, the commander of the Artillery Regiment at the end of May was Oberst Pennazato and
the AA 11 at that time should have been commanded by Oberstlt. Kellner.

That's all which I could find for this timeframe, I hope this helps,
best regards,
hero.

[le.gennois]

Hello Hero,

I read with great interest your response.

I have some questions for you on the posting constructed in Dreux
- AA 11 is the Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11 Infantry Division ?
- The Abt. s.F.H. (MOT), he had the "15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 (Immergrün) ?
or "10,5 cm leichte Feldaubitze 18"?
- 3 (MOT) / Pi 11 is the 3rd company of mechanized battalion of the 11th Pioneer Infantry Division ?

I am researching the named individuals:
- Oberst von Wrisberg: Gerhard, Kdr - / AR126 verliehen 24/11/1942.
geb. 08/06/1898 Metz, Lothr. gest. 08.04.1986 Gut Wettesingen 34479 Breuna, Kassel, Hessen.
- Oberst Pennazato (I. Abteilung (I./AR161) commandant Oberst.
- Oberst Kellner (Johannes, Oberleutnant der Reserve. Geburtsdatum 11.10.1899, Geburtsort: Breslau. Todes / Vermissdatum: 10/09/1939. Todes- / Vermisstenort: Leutschütz (Polen).

Thank you for your participation in my research.

Soon you read my questions.

Best regards,

le.gennois

[hero.]

Hello le.gennois !

Regarding your questions (later some additional comments) :

1) Yes. AA 11 is the Aufklärungsabteilung 11 of 11. Inf.Div.

2) Abt. s.F.H.(mot) most probably had the schwere Feldhaubitze 18 (15cm).
The term (mot) means that these heavy howitzers were drawn by motorized vehicles, not by horses.

3) (Yes). It was the 3rd company of the Pi.Batl. 11. And this 3rd company was using motorized
vehicles, while 1. and 2. where horse drawn.(But mechanized would mean using halftracked SPW,
something like a SdKfz. 250 or 251)

According to the persons you are researching, I found an additional source of information by Veit Scherzer :

After this source, Oberstleutnant(!) Pennazato was the Kdr. of Ari.Rgt. 11 from 01. Nov. 1939 to June 1940.
From some time in June 1940 until Oct. 1940 Oberstleutnant(!) Gerhard v. Wrisberg was (temporarily) assigned
to lead Ari.Rgt. 11. (This might be caused due to Pennazato beeing wounded or ill.)

After the same source, the Kdr. of the AA 11 was Major, later Oberstleutnant, Hans Källner, from 1. Sept. 1939 to
Aug. 1941. (He finally received the Oakleaves with Swords to the Knightscross in Oct. 1944). So, the name Kellner in the divisions history might be a misspelling . (In german language it really sounds the same !).

According to your research, it would be interesting to know, in what timeframe you need informations about the persons you named. And are you interested specifically in the officers of Inf.Div. 11 in June 1940 or only exactly in the those persons you named ?

Anyway, I hope this is of some help to you !

Best regards,
hero.

[le.gennois]

Hello Hero !

Thank you for replying to my post September 10, 2009.

I have a question about the composition of the detachment built in Dreux.
In a post by Tom Nutter of May 10, 2009 (see. Axis History Forum "1. Infantry Division June 15 to June 22 1940").
- In the earliest opportunity (18 june 1940): The VA (Vorausabteilung) of 11. ID was under the command of the Kdr AR 11, and consisted of :
Stab A.R. 11
? Stab Pi. 11
? Radf Kp'n IR 2, 23, 44
3. (mot) /Pi. 11
? Pz.Jäg.Abt. 11
? IV./AR 256 (less one battery)
? Li.Moss-Tr.B.Abt. 4 (not sure what this was)
? Kr.Kwh 11. ID

- In the second opportunity (21 june 1940) : The VA (Vorausabteilung) was under Colonel Erwin Rauch, commanding the 2. Infantry Regiment, and consisted of .
? Stab. IR 2 (mot) mit Funkstelle 11. ID
? Radf.Btl. 11. ID
? s.III./AR 111 (mot)
? Teile N. 11 (mot)
? 5 Kr.Kw. 11. ID
? 1 Gruppe Feldgend. 11. ID
? Teile B.-Abt. 4
Can you confirm that the elements listed above were present in Les Rosiers.
and give me some information on those with ?

In the story of a hostage de Gennes, he writes « We were among a section of pontoon. Close to us, rode a ferry pioneer powered by two engines ».
Most probably the 3rd engineer company (mot) of 11. Infantry Division. I am very interested in his equipment. And the number ?
- rubber boat ?
- boat crossing river ?
- large inflatable boat ?
- raft inflatable ?
- pontoon ?
- etc. ?

A friend of the research group asked me to ask if you know the route (cities and villages) of 11. Infantry Division from Dreux to the Les Rosiers ?

Have you the casualties of the 11. ID for the 18, 19 and June 20, 1940 ?

In a future post I will give you information about weapons and the dead in French Gennes.

Soon you read my questions.

Best regards
le.gennois

[hero.]

Hello le.gennois !

Sorry, that it took so long, to answer your questions, but my job kept me very busy
during the last few weeks.

According to your detailed questions, just a short remark:

1) The division-history of the 11th Inf.Div. has about 3 1/2 pages to cover the campaigns in Poland
and France. (If you are interested in the scans, just sent me a short notice.) So the level of detailed
information you are looking for is typically not given there.

2) Here is what I could find to answer of your questions (same sources as above) :
Stab Pi. 11 : Kdr. Major Hans-Ulrich Neumann
Pz.Jg.Abt. 11 : Kdr. Hptm. Kurt Eschenbach
IV./AR 256 : This unit was a Heerestruppe-unit, and consisted of 3 Battr. of s.F.H. 18 (mot), one of
which was not present. More info can be found here :
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R256-R.htm

Li.Moss-Tr.B.Abt. 4 : I'm pretty sure this should be a Lichtmess-Trupp of the Beobachtungsabteilung 4.
Kr.Kwh 11. ID : This should be the Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug of the medical unit, consisting of about 17 Trucks.

No infos on the 2. VA, sorry.

According to the pontoons : These were most probably part of the bridging column, not Pi.Kp. 3 (mot).
Such a column would typically carry with it 16 Half-Pontoons, 6 Sturmboote,
20 small inflatable boats (Floßsäcke), 24 big inflatable boats.
I have no info, if parts of the bridging column joined the 3. Pi.Kp.(mot).

A Pi-Komp. would have about 12 small and 12 big inflatable boats (just an estimate).

3) The route of the 11. ID and the casualties :
Sorry no more details in addition what I gave you before !

4) Now, that you have gathered a certain amount of data, it might be a good point to
reveal some infos on what happened on the french side ?! That would really give a
very interesting picture of this fighting in the area of Saumur.

Would be glad to hear from you ,
best regards

hero.

[le.gennois]

Hello hero

You need not be sorry. Your work comes before my research. I am waiting, I am retired, 77 1/2 years (8 years in June 1940, resident in Gennes).
I'll say again thank you for the information you have sent me. These are very important in writing the epic battles on Gennes in 1940.
For 4) your last post. I am writing from information found in the Historical Department of the Army Land a document of 13 pages (in French), which recounts the events of June 17, 1940 to June 23, 1940, day and hour, and orders.

A / - JMO Group of Pichon (SHAT 34 N 3)
(Statement by the Cavalry School of Saumur in the Loire defense)
fichier pdf: JMO - Groupement PICHON (SHAT 34 N3).pdf

B / - sending the letter of General Pichon of November 25, 1943 (very interesting comment on the bottom of page)
fichier pdf: lettre envoi du rapport du général PICHON.pdf
These documents are in. pdf. To access them you require the Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 minimum
To read these documents:
1 / click on the address in blue (name fichier.pdf)
2 / appears in the display window,
3 / Click on Download File.(Télécharger le fichier)
If you can not read, I can scan the pages. Let me know
>------------------
In my post of September 30, 1940, I promised you information about weapons and the deaths of French in Gennes.
Troops (engaged in the sector Gennes)
Device resistance.
Bridge de Gennes.(included the Island Buisson)
- Desplats Brigade = 25 E.A.R. + 1 section of riflemen.
- Weapons:
1 Group Machine Gun
7 machine guns,
Canon 1 tank of 25 mm.
1 81 mm mortar, (it had no firing pin)
1 60 mm mortar.
Between The Thoureil and Gennes
- Train Company Roimarmier
- Weapons :
4 machine guns Saint-Etienne
10 automatic rifle Model 1915 (Chauchat).
Between Gennes and Mimerolle
- Group Hacquard
- Weapons :
10 machine guns,
23 machine guns,
3 60 mm mortar
5 tanks H. 39.
Support Units-The Milly-Meugon
- Foltz Squadron (145 mans), with orders to possible intervention in the district of Gennes, the Thoureil in Trèves-Cunault included.
-Weapons :
1 Group Machine Gun
13 machine guns,
2 25 mm cannons,
3 A.M.R.33? (1 to 7.5 mm machine gun)
1 A.M.D. Panhard 178 (1 25 mm gun, 1 machine gun 7.5 mm)
>----------------------
Killed in Gennes
Lieutenants
Bonnin Jean-Jacques Mortally wounded by an enemy spy June 20, died June 21.
This spy transmitting corrections shots on targets (post, the canning factory, etc.).
Desplats Jacques 26 years. Killed in the Island Buisson.
Roimarmier Jean-Pierre 31 ans. Killed near the Villa Montebello.
E.A.R (Cadets de l'Ecole de Cavalerie)
Bugain Pierre Wounded left the bridge. Doué dies.
de Frenne de Tiège Jacques 22 yeats. Killed near the road Thoureil.
Dunant Jean-Louis 22 years. Killed in the Island Buisson.
Flandin Didier 21 years. Wounded at the bottom of St Eusebe. Facing death at the Hotel Barreau..
Passebois Georges 20 ans. Killed near the road Thoureil.
Roland Gosselin Guy 18 years. Wounded in Island Buisson, found near the abbey of St. Maur.
Troops
Braillard Jean-Paul 37 years. Killed in the Island Buisson.
Brasseur Maurice 27 years. Killed in the Island Buisson.
Dachir Mohamed Killed in Island Buisson.
Dizier Marcel Wounded in the Island Buisson. Died at Angers.
Gaillouste Albert Killed at the Villa Montebello.
Pineau Félix 22 years. Wounded at the bottom of St Eusebe. Facing death at the Hotel d'Anjou.
>---------------
If you are the claimant, told me in an upcoming post.
I can save:
- List of killed in Saumur and Dampierre.
- The mistake of a German officer on the ringing of the bell tower hours of Les Rosiers.

Best regards

le.gennois

[BowLady]

Le.gennois on this the anniversary of Jacques Desplats death i was astonished to find this website and this thread of a battle of which i have some knowledge. I did not see de Buffevents name listed above, probably due to his death being on the little island at Saumur, and not in Gennes. I have stood beside the grave of Desplats; he and I share a strange connection, from France all the way to a small house in Los Angeles. How are you so involved in this story, sir? I would like to ask you some questions that have not been answered about these most famous of three days in June, 1940. very sincerely, BowLady

[le.gennois]

Hello, BowLady

Having made the war in Algeria. So I spent much of my time doing research on my unit to the Service History of Defence in Vincennes, leaving the Topic Infantry Division on 11 June 15 to June 22 1940.

Why is my involvement in research 11. Infantry Division.
I was 8 in 1940, and my parents lived Gennes. So I lived through the events, and remember that my father took me to see the French defenses. We left after the de Gennes north bridge I jumped to get to St. Pierre-en-Vaux, where we were housed in a cellar. We stayed there until June 24, 1940.

You can ask me questions, I would do everything I can within the limits of my ability to respond.

Best regards,